Stimulating cinema: The Pope's Toilet

Directors: Cesar Charlone and Enrique Fernandez
Year: 2007

Note: Originally I wrote this back in January of 2011. It's not cold and snowing here today; alas, the part about the diet is true.

It's a cold gray day outside today. Snow is coming down in buckets and it's been consistently freezing for several weeks. Combined with the fact that I have just embarked on a new workout/diet program in an effort to (once again) lose those unwanted pounds, I am not the happiest camper right now. But I've had my pity party and now it's time to move on. I have to remember that I have a lot going for me in my life and annoyances like the weather and working out for an hour a day are just that--annoyances. I'm not in danger of going bankrupt or anything like that. I haven't staked my entire future on a dream that may or may not come true.

Which brings me to today's post and this remarkable movie from Uruguay. Maybe my mood is affected by watching this--"The Pope's Toilet" is truly one of the most poignant, gut-wrenching movies you will ever see. And the genius of it is, that the raw emotion stems from what should be a wondrous experience--a visit from the Pope. The sadness is tempered with lots of comic episodes, but the overall theme of the movie is chasing dreams--and we all know that more times than not, the dreams escape our grasp.

The setting is 1988 in Melo, Uruguay, a mountain village near the Brazilian border. Beto (Cesar Troncoso) and buddies eke out a meager existence working as smugglers, riding their bikes back and forth across the border several times a week, returning with groceries and other goods which they can then sell to small-time shopkeepers in their village. The work is grueling, the rewards are small and on top of it all, Beto and his friends are the frequent victims of shakedowns, courtesy of a corrupt customs official named Meleyo (Nelson Lence). Beto has a wife Carmen (Virginia Mendez), who is patient and kind and remarkably supportive even in the face of the tough life they are living. There is also brooding teenage daughter Silvia (Virginia Ruiz), who is ashamed of the way her dad makes a living and who dreams of fleeing her tiny village to go to the capital of Montevideo and study to be a radio broadcaster (the scenes where Silvia practices her delivery under the cover of darkness are incredibly touching).

Excitement is running high in Melo--Pope John Paul II will soon be arriving for a visit. The townspeople view this as an opportunity to make some quick and plentiful cash selling food and souvenirs to the multitudes that are expected to descend on their village. Of course, these plans require start-up capital and the villagers are forced to mortgage everything the have in order to acquire their materials. It's a risky proposition--extremely so--and Carmen cautions against trying to make money off the Holy Father. But the lure of riches is too great and everyone busily throws themselves into making chorizo sandwiches and cookies and blowing up balloons. Beto, of course, has a scheme too. With everyone eating so much, certainly there will be a need for a bathroom. So he decides to build one on his property with the plan of charging visitors who need to make use of the facilities.

Carmen tries to point out some possible negatives ('what if they go before they leave home?") and offers an idea of her own that Beto promptly shoots down. It's all or nothing for him and soon he is launching himself headlong into building the finest public convenience in the area. The family's savings are soon exhausted though and Beto ultimately makes a deal with the devil--Meleyo--to make some "special" runs. The payout is handsome but the price is high--Meleyo now owns Beto. And when Silvia sees her dad discussing terms with the local bad guy and calls him on it, the simmering tensions in the house spill over.

I won't go into any more plot details because I would really hate to spoil the final moments for anyone who is reading this and is interested in this movie. I will say though, that there are some truly moving, powerful scenes and it makes you wonder if the title of the movie can be taken metaphorically as well as literally. Everything about this movie is amazing--the acting, the camerawork, the cinematography, everything. I could go on and on but trust me on this--if you watch "The Pope's Toilet" and aren't moved, well ...

Stimulating cinema: Gigante

Director: Adrian Biniez
Year: 2009

This gem is from Uruguay, although it could really have been made in any country. The theme is universal, especially for a certain type of guy (or I'm sure girl too, but I can't relate to being on the other side of the equation). If you've ever pined after a pretty girl, if you've ever gone out of your way to find out as much as you can about someone in the hopes that maybe you'll hit it off, if you've ever been shy or maybe just not felt good enough about yourself to strike up a conversation, then this movie is you. All the frustration, uncertainty and pain is right there on display. Believe me.

I have been this guy--in fact, it's a miracle that I even met my wife and got married at all. How much time did I waste in my life, longing to go out with a woman or even just have a conversation with one and not having the courage to do so? Shyness and insecurity can be crippling, paralyzing even. Although things have worked out incredibly well for me in my personal relationship, there are some things I wish I might have done differently when I was younger. Confidence is the key, and you either have it or you don't. I guess you can learn to be more assertive and outgoing, but if it doesn't come naturally, it's unbelievably hard. And if there are things about you (being a little too heavy, not having enough hair, maybe not having a nice enough car) that you wish could be better, than it just adds to the feelings of loneliness and helplessness.

Our hero is Jara (Horacio Camandule). He is indeed a giant of a man, towering over practically everyone else. Jara is maybe a little out of shape but nothing bad--he works out faithfully--and a decent enough looking guy. His inner qualities are stellar though--Jara is kind and thoughtful. He gets along famously with his young nephew and is really just a big kid at heart himself. He likes heavy metal, rolls his eyes when his sister tries to give him money or asks him to spruce up his apartment and treats everyone in his path with decency. Jara commands respect because of his size and indeed he is defined by his size (he works a second job on the weekend as a bouncer at a club). Everyone calls him "big guy" and he is an easily-likable, honest, earnest sort of guy.

Jara works as a security guard at a large, warehouse-type store that sells groceries but also small electronics and other items as well. He works the graveyard shift, going in each night at 11 and monitors the store's security cameras while making sure the overnight crew doesn't steal from the store. Jara soon falls--hard--for one of the members of the cleaning crew. At first, he confines his attention to watching on her over the monitors but he soon starts following her as she goes about her day-to-day activities. Technically of course, this is stalking but there is nothing malicious about Jara's intent. If anything it's sadly sweet, like a big puppy dog. And he is also highly protective--at one of their "dates" a cab driver makes a lewd comment towards the woman and Jara promptly bashes his brains. Jara gradually inches a little further in his quest; he finds out the woman's name (Julia) and he leaves a miniature cactus for her as a gift.

But of course there are complications. Jara feels threatened when he sees Julia (Leonor Svarcas) talking to a better looking co-worker and his insecurity's rise even further when Julia goes out on an actual date with a man she's been chatting with online. Of course, Jara follows them to the restaurant and continues to follow the man afterwards. Whether he plans to beat him up or talk to him is unclear, but through circumstance the two end up talking later in the evening. Jara finds out that there probably won't be a second date--they didn't really click with one another--and that--wonder of wonders!--Julia likes heavy metal two. His path to the goal line has been opened wide now and all Jara is to do is run the ball in. But can he? Will he?

This movie is just a joy. The work of a first-time director, it's quiet and unassuming and doesn't try to be anything more than what it is. Camandule is excellent; he carries the film on his broad shoulders and over the course of 90 or so minutes we develop a real fondness for him. We really want him to say something to Julia and it's almost painful to watch him taking the baby steps in that direction. He's not a typical hero, but a hero nonetheless.

The photo with this post shows the two leads, plus director Biniez, at the Berlin Film Festival in 2009.